Raptors planning to send DeAndre Daniels to Europe for a year

By Satchel Price | Jul 5, 2014

Feb 12, 2014; Hartford, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies forward DeAndre Daniels (2) drives the ball to the basket against the South Florida Bulls in the first half at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Raptors may be planning to send second-round pick DeAndre Daniels to Europe for a year, reports Ryan Wolstatt of the Toronto Sun. He says general manager Masai Ujiri has “indicated Daniels will be stashed in Europe for a year to get some much-needed playing time,” after being selected in last month’s draft.

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While the Raptors reportedly plan on keeping little-known top pick Bruno Cabaclo on the roster next season, there may not be room for Daniels, who was a key part of the UConn team that won this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Raptors are pretty set on the wings entering next season, so it makes some sense for him to get extra court time elsewhere.

Daniels may have an NCAA championship under his belt, but the No. 37 overall pick is an admittedly raw NBA prospect. At 6’9 with a 7’2 wing span, he has impressive length, and uses that size to find open shots along the perimeter.

Last season, Daniels averaged 13.1 points and six rebounds per game for the Huskies, but scouts were likely most excited by his three-point shooting (42 percent). If he make progress physically and gets a better grasp on the defensive end, Daniels could develop into a classic 3-and-D wing at the NBA level.

Entering the 2014-15 season, the Raptors have DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross penned into their starting wing spots, plus Landry Field on the bench. That’s not a ton of depth should one of the key guys get hurt, but Wolstatt says the Raptors are pursuing some free agents who could address that, including a “big, defensive-minded swingman.”